Woman facing federal charges rejects 4 lawyers

A woman charged with embezzling more than $50,000 from the health clinic on the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation will be representing herself at trial after rejecting four public defenders.

The Havre Daily News reports Fawn Tadios recently requested a fifth public defender and the U.S. attorney's office reluctantly agreed.

U.S. District Judge Brian Morris said he would only appoint another attorney if Tadios would agree not to file any professional complaint against him or try to have him disqualified. Morris said Tadios refused to accept those terms and said she wanted to represent herself at her April 11 trial.

Tadios was indicted on four theft counts. Prosecutors say she used the money to visit her husband, who was in federal prison in North Dakota for embezzling money from the tribe.